"If
you haven't prepared anything, then I'll cook!" he volunteered with a
smile.

"Oh!
that'll be great. But I'd appreciate if you could first place that laptop bag
in your hand down, sloooowly, carefully that's the finest china we have and
then with all your might kick off those socks in your favourite corner, but be
careful of your toe, my love, your sole was aching yesterday..."

By
then he began executing the tasks absentmindedly in order, "Oh! don't
bother, just fling your trousers on the bed and spread the shirt on the
treadmill, sleeves placed wide across please. Now that you've taken over the kitchen,
I'll sit here fanning the armpits dry."

"Yea,
I'll make a nice sabzi for chapati now. What was that combination you gave me today?"

Oh oh!

"When
did combinations start bothering you?"

"Chapati
and sambhar! Come on, is that any combination."

"Says
who?" Zap, I got clarity now.

"Nobody.
I'm saying..."

"They've
never seen you mix banana shake in upma with lemon pickle. And that yucky
smelly combination of dipping bread in egg yolk ..."

"Whoever
that is who ridiculed you for eating chapati with sambhar in office today."

"They
have a point, isn't it?"

"Why
the hell should I get their point? Did you drive in them my points?"

"Of
course, I defended. I said, I like sambhar with chapati."

"Not
yours. Mine."

Lunch time in office...I've carefully pruned the picture :)

By
then his sidekick walked in listening to our conversation, " Hey papa, at
least you are lucky. You have a car and money in your wallet. You can go out
and eat yummy food or order. Think of me, I'm stuck with what she sends."

They
stand embraced in a hug, as if I'm the biggest catastrophe they're stuck with.

"Listen,
you Chipmunks, I'm NOT running an eatery here to pay heed to your friends'
comments. Yes, I am a lousy cook. And I have no intentions of wasting time
upgrading my kitchen skills than I already do. Is that clear. You two have no
choice," I was elated with my delivery.

"Hello,
hello. My papa can cook," And they squeeze one another yet again, "Nice
tasty dishes!. Come on papa, you make dinner!"

Haha! That was fun! And Nisha..you got company there, girl! I am not a great cook either and would much rather read a book than spend time in *that area*! You know which area I am talking about , don't you? :)

That was funny! Sambhar with chappati, huh?! This reminds me of this Hindi film where Shahrukh Khan plays the character of a south Indian and he eats noodles mixed in curds with his hands! Yours was a much decent combination in comparison. ;)

Hahahaha your daughter is so witty... I absolutely love her comebacks ... such a sweet family :) my husband too once came back complaining the way I packed roti, because someone made fun of it... until he realized that was the right way to keep it fresh ;) what's wrong with sambar and roti... it's perfect :) PS: I used to side my dad too in the battle of the kitchen

HAha thats one funny post. But it sure is a similar story at my home too... Sambar and Chapati is a wierd combination on my side too... but i just serve it to the folks at home, despite their cribbing. I am no culinary expert and yes dont intend to break my head daily coming up with interesting combos.